Recreational vehicles may include a slide-out room to increase the size of the living quarters of the vehicle while also permitting an appropriate size for highway travel. The slide-out room is moved by a number of actuators, for example hydraulic cylinders, electric drive screws or electric gear drives located on the recreational vehicle. A controller may be used to ensure synchronized movement of the multiple actuators. Additionally, slide-out rooms use either mechanical or programmable stops to define the retracted and extended positions of the slide-out room. When using programmable stops, the retracted and extended positions of the slide-out room are typically initialized by a technician before the recreational vehicle is sold to the end user. In some cases, extended and retracted positions need to be reprogrammed. This may occur if an actuator fails and is replaced, or if seals on the slide-out room assume a ‘set’ position over the lifetime of the recreational vehicle.
Slide-out rooms also typically include a lock mechanism which ensures that the seals on the slide-out room are adequately compressed in the retracted position during highway travel. However, the lock mechanism is controlled in an open loop manner by the controller. This can result in damage to components of the vehicle if the slide-out room moves when the lock mechanism is engaged. Additionally, motion of the slide-out room is also controlled in an open loop manner. This can also result in damage to components of the vehicle if the actuators are powered when there is an obstruction in the path of the slide-out room. Due to the above reasons, a need exists for a slide-out room on a recreational vehicle with an improved control system.